Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence

Pelvic organ prolapsed, a type of pelvic floor disorder, can affect many women. In fact, about 1/3 of all women can be affected by this condition in their lifetime. The pelvic floor consists of a group of muscles supporting the pelvic area. This structure is important in keeping the uterus, vagina, bladder, small bowel and rectum in its proper orientation. When there is a disruption or injury to this support, such as through childbirth, relaxation or prolapse of these structures occurs. Common symptoms resulting from such injuries include urinary incontinence (mostly with “stress” events such as coughing or sneezing), difficulty with bowel movements, low back pain, pressure or fullness in the pelvic area, painful sexual intercourse, the sensation of something “falling out” vaginally and even irregular vaginal bleeding.

Fortunately, these conditions can be treated with either or a combination of surgical and non-surgical interventions that you can expect a gynecologist to provide.